Stapleton homeowner Greg Gill has no interest in yard work. He prefers to use his free time to play with his kids, go to baseball games, or play golf. So, when he realized a week ago that he would finally have to do something about the weeds in his yard, he turned to a higher power. “I’m not religious,” said Gill. “But, I was not excited about doing any yard work, especially when it comes to pulling and spraying weeds. So, in a weak moment, I prayed that the weeds would just go away.”

Well, Gill’s prayers were answered when Stapleton experienced a massive barrage of hail storms last week. “It was truly a miracle,” says Gill. “That hail ripped through those dandelions. It was really a beautiful site. Any of them that are alive, are covered by the leaves that were torn from the trees which is an added bonus.” Gill does have some remorse for the terrible hail storms. “My neighbors had just planted some tomatoes, and didn’t have their flowers pulled in, so they kind of got a tough break on that. I guess you could consider it collateral damage, however. It’s not all gonna work out for everybody.”

Gill is unsure if he will make any prayers in the future. “I thought about praying for the control tower to just go away,” said Gill. “But then I worried that the powers that be would send a tornado, and I think the collateral damage for that may be much worse than some ruined plants and flowers.” Although hundreds of Stapleton residents had damage to their property and landscaping, and greenery destroyed, Gill says he doesn’t regret his prayer. “The important thing is, it saved me a couple hours of yard work. And a couple hours of yard work is basically nine holes I can golf, or six innings of a baseball game I can go to. You have to look out for number one.”